Chairman Mike Baines of the Sitka Tribe displays herring eggs on hemlock branches. He called them the "real Easter eggs" in a post on Facebook. Photo from Mike Baines via Facebook
The state of Alaska shut down the sac roe herring fishery after the Sitka Tribe raised concerns about its subsistence rights. The tribe gathers eggs laid by the herring and depends on them for food. But this season has been one of the worst in recent history, Chairman Mike Baines told KTUU. The herring also were suffering so the state Department of Fish and Game closed down Sitka Sound for the rest of the season. Commercial fishermen had already harvested about 10,000 tons of herring, with about 4,700 tons, KTUU reported. Get the Story:
Fish and Game shuts down Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery (KTUU 3/29)
Sitka tribe asks state regulators to shut down commercial herring fishery (KTUU 3/28)
Blessing of Herring Rock: A yearly ceremony to bring fish back to Sitka (KCAW 3/22)
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